"You know, Nannie, nothing ever shakes the doctor; but when I called and told him they'd found Ward dead, he sure sputtered. Took me by surprise." "What'd he say?" "He said, 'That son of a—' Ah, Nannie, it won't do to repeat. But, I declare, I never heard old Doctor Elton cuss so before." "Who's keeping the store for you? "Vic's boys. Oh, I almost forgot. Vic sent you word that she'll go on over to Ophelia's as soon as she can dress a chicken. And she's gonna get Lovie to help her phone the other women." Mama reached behind the door and took down Papa's heavy cloak. "You'd better wear this over your jacket, Jodie." "Yeah. It's plenty cold out. Nannie, I've had the strangest feeling—sorta guilty —like I'd killed Ward myself!" "What on earth do you mean?" "It's curious. When I first heard he was dead, I'm ashamed to say it, but I was actually glad! 'Course there's been two or three times when I wanted to kill that man! It was all I could do to keep from it. Now that he's dead, why, I've got an odd feeling—" "You've got no reason to feel guilty. You didn't do a thing to the man. Jodie, have you got time to step out to your pa's and tell them?" "Yeah, I'll go tell them. I've got a plug of Brown's Mule to take Pa, anyway. He may not chew it, but I'm clean outta his brand." Mama followed Papa to the door. "Jodie?" He turned around, and she whispered something to him. "Nannie! That red-headed devil!" "Doanie told me, Jodie. And I thought you ought'a know!" "That explains it!" "What?" "Where Ward got money to finish setting up his still and then buy that high-priced automobile! Wes Bailey forked it over!" "As hush money?" "Yeah." Papa left in a big hurry. Chapter 11 "Mama, am I gonna stay at Grandma Ming's?" "No, Bandershanks, you'd better go to Miss Ophelia's house with me. It'll probably be late before we come home. When there's a death, you never can tell what's to be done. Here, stick this other shoe on and let's go to the kitchen and get you some breakfast." "I want lots, and lots, and lots of breakfast!" Doanie was back before the butter in my biscuits had melted and before I'd tasted my strips of fried salt meat. She pushed the kitchen door shut and came straight to the cook stove, wringing her hands together and saying, "Chile, this is the coldest day the Lawd done made!" Doanie blew her breath on her fingers and kept rubbing her hands. She held them up over the steam coming from the teakettle. As soon as Doanie's hands got warm and limbered up, Mama told her to help me wash my face. Doanie poured lots of water in the wash pan, and I thought for a second or two she was going to scrub my ears off. Finally, she gave my face one last swipe and emptied the pan of soapy water out the back door. "Now. That does hit. Dry yourself off good. You looks clean as a kitten with a fresh-licked face!"